


Only Shooting Stars

by consumptive_sphinx



Series: Weave me the sunshine [3]
Category: The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: If I can't find representation I'll make it instead, Legolas's family situation looks like mpreg but isn't, Nonbinary Character, Other, Overprotective quasi-siblings, The Shovel Talk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-28
Updated: 2014-11-17
Packaged: 2018-02-23 00:32:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 2,946
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2527364
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/consumptive_sphinx/pseuds/consumptive_sphinx
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gimli is not nearly as prepared as he thinks he is to meet the son of Thranduil. </p><p>He has heard the stories, of a charming, manipulative princeling who takes after his father. </p><p>Well. They're halfway there…</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Gimli thought he was prepared. He thought that Glóin and Dwalin's warnings, all the stories he'd been told, were enough that he'd know what to expect. He thought that whatever came at him, he could handle it. 

Sweet bloody Mahal, was he wrong. 

=+=+=+=

It wasn't the elves. He hated to admit that, but it was true. It was not the elves, or at least, it wasn't the elves of Rivendell in general. 

The majority had been polite and friendly, for treeshaggers. A few had been impatient and distant, but that was to be expected from any group. 

And then, there was this one. The Elvenking's spawn. If the elf wasn't — well — an elf, Gimli might think he was being sincere. As it stands, Gimli has mentally filed Thranduil's son as a skilled manipulator who is not to be trusted. 

The elf turns at that as if he's reading Gimli's mind, red-blond hair swirling over his shoulders. He smiles, eyes shining, and Gimli hates how bright it is. 

Clearly not to be trusted.


	2. Chapter 2

Legolas misses home. 

They knew they would, but that doesn't help anything, really. It does help that Estel — no, Aragorn, and they still can't get used to calling him that, is there with them. It's nice to have a familiar face around, even if they don't know the Ranger as well as they'd like. The hobbits help too; they remind them of Thranduil, but more importantly, the four of them press Legolas for stories so often that they're forced to think of other things. 

Oddly enough, so does Gimli. The dwarf — Legolas is carefully avoiding pronouns, even in their head, until they can ask which ones Gimli prefers — is staring at Legolas like they've just eaten a kitten. 

Legolas follows that train of thought for a few moments (where did they find a kitten? Why did they eat it? It's not like the food is running out. Perhaps it was an evil kitten, and they'd had no other option. But then why is Gimli glaring at them for eating it? Maybe Gimli doesn't think a kitten can be evil. Silly Gimli, all cats are evil, didn't you know that?) but they're forced back into the real world when Boromir starts talking rarer more loudly than is strictly necessary about how much danger his home of Minas Tirith is in right now. As if the whole world won't be in danger if this quest fails. 

Legolas closes their eyes and ignores him. 

But Eru, what they wouldn't give for some news of home.


	3. Chapter 3

Legolas hates caves. Always has, always will. 

They don't know why they hate them so much, and they don't know why the palace of Mirkwood doesn't seem to count. Their best guess is that it's well-lit and lived-in, but they don't know. 

They do know why they don't like Moria specifically: It's dark and damp, and the air is stale, and they can hear the creaking of Durin's Bane (and sweet Eru, that voice makes their stomach twist in what would be paranoia if it weren't justified), and it's been sixty years but death lingers like the carvings in the stone walls. 

Gimli loves it here. Legolas wishes they could too. 

=+=+=+=

It is now so dark that even Legolas can barely see. 

They called it nerves an hour ago. Now, they'll admit that they're terrified. 

(Gimli is still perfectly confident. Legolas stays near the dwarf, acting as calm as they can. Gimli acts as a pillar of strength, just as they hoped — but the churning in their stomach doesn't go away.)

=+=+=+=

In a way, they're almost grateful for the Orcs and the cave troll. Paranoia is a subtle, creeping thing, and the adrenaline from fighting flushes it out better than reassurance ever could. 

Then the Fellowship finds the tomb of one of Gimli's family, and they stop being grateful. 

=+=+=+=

They knew it was bad, but they didn't know it was this bad. 

The Fellowship is surrounded by orcs. Tear tracks coat Gimli's face, soaking into his beard, and Legolas doesn't hear what he screams but the battle is rough and clear and fast and they don't need to. 

And then they reach the Bridge, and Legolas's worst nightmares take shape. 

=+=+=+=

Gandalf is dead. Legolas knows this, in their head, but is still vaguely shocked. 

The hobbits are crying. They think, absently, that they should do something about that. Nothing suggests itself. 

They keep Gimli within eyeshot at all times. Maybe they can absorb a bit of his strength.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writing from Legolas's POV is hard. If anyone knows a way to distinguish between they (referring to Legolas) and they (referring to the Fellowship), please tell me because I don't.


	4. Chapter 4

Lothlórien is meant to be a place of calm and peace. Even so, Gimli cannot find rest here, cannot feel safe. 

He doesn't like Haldir. Legolas seems to, but Gimli doesn't. He doesn't like how dismissive the elf is, he doesn't like the way that he and Legolas speak to each other in quiet Sindarin, he doesn't like how Legolas's cheeks flushed pink at Haldir's whisper when he tightened the blindfold, he doesn't like how Haldir's brothers are eerily silent except for their footsteps, and he definitely doesn't like being blindfolded and led by a rope. 

Lothlórien is meant to be a place of beauty, but if there is any beauty here, Gimli cannot see it, and he hates the place. 

 

When the blindfolds are taken off, Gimli can see the beauty if the Golden Wood, and he knows instantly why Legolas wanted to journey here. 

He turns to share his joy with Legolas, but the elf is gone, along with one of Haldir's silent brothers. Gimli isn't sure why he's so crestfallen. 

Legolas isn't his. 

He isn't. 

And Gimli has no right to be disappointed that he'd rather spend time with his own friends.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> •Text in these dot things• represents sign language.

Lothlórien is beautiful. Legolas has been here before, but they're still amazed by the place. 

The blindfolds are new, though, and they wish they could talk with Orophin and Rúmil, rather than just to them; they're fairly sure Rúmil feels the same way, but they can't tell with Orophin. (They never really can.) It's new being led by a rope with their eyes closed, but they trust Haldir and his brothers. They'd walk the world for these three. 

Gimli is in front of them. Legolas doesn't know why they're so conscious of his presence, but they don't question it. 

 

When Orophin removes their blindfold, the beauty of Lothlórien hits them like it never has in the past. 

Almost immediately Rúmil starts speaking in sign language, •follow me,• and Legolas does. •I missed talking to you,• he says. 

"Me too." It was the main thing they hated about the blindfolds, once they all had them. 

•Not just the blindfolds,• Rúmil signs, like he read Legolas's mind. •It's been too long.•

Now that Rúmil mentions it, Legolas can't remember the last time they went this long without speaking. "You're right," they say. Rúmil nods, and they keep talking. 

 

When they go back to the clearing where the Fellowship are sleeping, Gimli seems… they're not sure what he seems. Upset, perhaps. 

They wonder why.


	6. Chapter 6

"I know you don't like me much." Haldir sits down next to him. "And I completely understand. If I were you I probably wouldn't like me either."

Gimli looks up at the elf. He doesn't speak. He doesn't need to.

"But you're interested in Legolas," Haldir continues, "and so, as their friend and quasi-brother it is my duty to inform you that if you hurt them, I will eviscerate you and then hang you by your own intestines." He puts special emphasis on 'they' and 'them.'

What?

"Now, that probably didn't do much to endear me to you, but it needed to be said. Good day."

And Haldir stands, and he leaves.

Gimli is left sitting there, waiting for Legolas to return from his explorations of the forest.

 

Legolas returns twenty minutes later, and now that his interest has been pointed out, Gimli is more aware than ever of just how beautiful the elf is. (He was aware of that before, of course. Dwarves always see beauty. It's just that now he's aware of being aware of it, and of all the implications that carries.) His — their — hair is honey blond compared to his own, but flaming red next to Orophin, and their smile is possibly the brightest thing Gimli's ever seen.

Bloody Mahal. Haldir was right. Well, mostly.

He isn't just interested in Legolas.

He thinks he might love them.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> •Text in these dot things• still represents sign language.

Gimli is looking at them strangely, and Haldir is smirking. 

Legolas's first thought is, Please don't have done anything stupid, Dir. 

Their second thought is, He did something stupid.

•I'll help you run damage control,• Orophin offers. Legolas nods quickly. 

Fuck. What did Haldir do?

 

Gimli is avoiding them. 

Legolas wants to strangle Haldir right now. But they don't. 

 

•Haldir apparently gave Gimli the Battleaxe Talk. That's all he'll tell me, and Rúmil doesn't know anything more.•

(It takes Legolas a moment to remember what that is, but then they recall how Celeborn threatened their father with an axe if he ever hurt Thranduil. Galion hasn't really been comfortable around Celeborn since.)

"But we aren't…" 

Orophin shrugs. 

Legolas really wants to strangle Haldir right now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Legolas's feeling about Haldir is how I am around 73% of the time with Nate — You are my brother and I love you, but if that weren't the case you would so be dead.


	8. Chapter 8

They're back on the road again. 

After two days it becomes almost physically painful, but Gimli doesn't say a word to Legolas about how he feels. 

Haldir's voice rings loud in his ears: If you hurt them… 

And so he keeps quiet. 

 

After four days, Legolas gives up trying to talk to Gimli. 

They curl up near Estel at night and press closer to him in their sleep. He doesn't say anything, but he knows how much Legolas needs the contact and familiarity. 

"Something is wrong," he says in a low voice on day seven, but Legolas shakes their head. 

"It's nothing," they say, and Estel doesn't press the matter. 

 

Legolas spends all of his — their — time near Aragorn. Gimli can't find it in his heart to hate the Man, but he thinks Haldir might have his hands too full of crying elf to kill the King of Gondor after he marries Arwen. 

(Gimli was an idiot to think he ever had a chance. Legolas is so out of his league that Gimli would laugh if it didn't hurt so much — they're graceful, beautiful Elven royalty, and would ever fall for a dwarf, however noble.)

 

As Gimli grows more and more distant, Legolas finds themselves clinging ever harder to Estel's steady presence. He knows something is wrong, but he doesn't offer anything but support and soothing nonsense whispered in the middle if the night. Legolas couldn't be more grateful; they don't think they could take advice or criticism right now. 

(Haldir must have been wrong, or Gimli would have said something by now — and now their friendship is in tatters too.)

(They don't know why they expected anything different. They have met people who prefer men and women both, but Legolas has yet to meet anyone who could fall for someone who is neither.)

 

It hurts more than anything he could have previously imagined, but Gimli stays silent and lets Legolas have their happiness. 

 

It hurts more than anything they could have previously imagined, but Legolas stays silent and clings to the one bit of warmth they have on this journey and doesn't dare hope for more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Goddammit Haldir. 
> 
> And he's not even being a jerk. He was genuinely trying to help, and then he RUINED EVERYTHING.


	9. Chapter 9

Boromir is dead. The hobbits have left, or been taken. The Fellowship is broken. 

And Legolas runs. 

(Their only motivation is to save the hobbits. It is completely coincidental that pushing their body harder and faster without rest shoves away what threatens to consume their heart.)

 

Boromir and Gandalf are dead. Pippin and Merry have been captured by Orcs. Fro do and Sam have gone off to Mordor alone; Gimli can do nothing for them now but pray. 

But Merry and Pippin may still be saved. 

And so Gimli runs. 

 

Forty-five leagues in three days, and they are in Rohan. 

"Were you not so close to the ground, I would cleave your head from your shoulders," says a painfully calm voice, and Legolas says the first thing that comes out of their mouth. 

"You would die before your stroke fell," they hiss, and there's an arrow at the ready before the last syllable leaves their lips.

No one threatens Gimli. They don't care about the consequences. 

Gimli is staring at them, shocked, and after a few seconds they put the bow down. But the message still stands. 

 

Why had they done that? Gimli wonders. 

He could have taken care of himself, and Legolas knows it. And even then it wasn't worth offending someone as important as Éomer over. 

But Legolas had done it anyway. 

Why?

Maybe…

No. No. Definitely not. 

Gimli won't let himself hope. Not again, not after those last two weeks. Those last two weeks were bad enough the first time; he won't relive them. 

(But he hopes anyway. He can't stop it.)

(He doesn't really want to.)


	10. Chapter 10

In Rohan, the Three Hunters stay for a few nights. Legolas wishes they could share a room with Estel, but instead they share with Gimli. 

He won't talk to them, except to ask who will take the bed. Legolas instantly offers to sleep on the floor; as a guard of Mirkwood they're more than used to it. Gimli doesn't argue. They almost wish he would. 

The first night is calm and quiet, if somewhat lonely. 

Legolas is used to that too. 

 

They find themselves missing Mirkwood more than ever. 

Galion would have exactly the right thing to say, to make them feel better and point them in the right direction. Thranduil might not be quite so good with words as his husband and adviser, but even just a hug and any kind of conversation sound wonderful to Legolas at the moment. 

They miss Lothlórien too. What would Orophin say, if xe could see them? Legolas doesn't know but wishes they did; Orophin's advice is as good as Galion's, if a bit more ruthless. They do know what Rúmil would say: •If he doesn't love you back he's not worth pining over, want to go find someone who is?• Haldir would offer a shoulder to cry on and a warm embrace, and Celeborn would offer a well-wielded axe and a smile. 

Legolas blinks back unexpected tears, curls up closer, pulls the blankets over their head like they're an elfling, and tries to get some sleep.


	11. Chapter 11

When Gimli opens his eyes the next morning, Legolas is already awake. 

"Good morning," he says, a little stiffly, and the elf turns away from the window to face him. 

"Good morn," they agree, voice soft like they don't want to intrude. Gimli sits down on the windowsill next to Legolas, and the sit in silence for around five minutes before Legolas speaks again. 

"I can't do this."

Gimli looks up, startled by the shattered silence. "Can't do what?"

"This," and there's an intensity to Legolas's tone that Gimli hasn't heard there before. "This thing we're doing, where we don't speak to each other and both of us is hurting but neither of us will just talk about it. I'm sorry, I can't do it." 

They take a deep breath, and it looks for a moment like the two of them are about to fall back into silence. 

"I don't know what Haldir said to you in Lothlórien," Legolas tells him, calm again, and meets his eyes. "But — could we be friends again, at least?"

Their eyes are wide, and the hurt on their features is so clear that Gimli couldn't say no if he wanted to. Not that he does, of course. 

"Of course," he says, "but I thought you didn't want to be?"

Legolas shakes their head. "You started avoiding me," they say. "I didn't know why."

Gimli reaches for their hand, and they sit together by the window for another hour. 

He might not have a chance with love, but friendship at least is within Gimli's grasp.


	12. Chapter 12

They're friends again. 

They and Gimli are friends again. 

Legolas holds onto that fact with all their might. 

It's all they have. They don't let themselves think that it might not be enough. 

No, not that they don't let themselves think it. It just isn't true. 

His friendship is enough. It is. 

(They're a liar and they know it. But they can't admit the truth.)

(Not to themselves, and certainly not to Gimli.)


	13. Chapter 13

Somehow they manage to keep going, in a complicated dance of "he doesn't like me that way, I'll keep quiet" and "what the fuck was I thinking, agreeing to this?" and "at least we're friends, I can't ask for more than that" until the end of the Battle of Helm's Deep, but at that point Gimli breaks step. 

Later, he'll look back on it and laugh, but at the time it's a real risk. 

Legolas seems to react fairly well, though, when Gimli drags them down by the hair and kisses them. 

 

"We're such idiots." 

Legolas is correct, and they both know it. 

"We are," Gimli agrees, and shifts closer to his — his, and he still can't get over that — elf.

"Remind me to punch my older brother when I next see him," Legolas says, and it takes Gimli a moment to realize they're referring to Haldir. 

He smiles. "Will do."

It's hardly a fairy-tale happy ever after, not because it isn't happy (if Gimli was any happier he might burst) but because it just isn't grand enough. 

But that fits the two of them. Legolas isn't some fairy-tale elf, they're a mostly normal person, and Gimli isn't some fairy-tale hero, he's an even more normal person. 

And in the end, who really needs a happy ever after?


End file.
